Events

'Phantoms at the Priory' is Norton Priory's latest art installation.  Following last year's successful 'Mars at the Museum', we're delighted to welcome the phantoms to the museum.

Commissioned specially for Norton Priory by the team behind York's hugely successful 'Ghosts in the Garden', this installation allows visitors to come face to face with some of the characters who have shaped the 900 year history of this remarkable place.

Meet an Abbott, take a selfie with a Canon, and see a kneeling Knight.

Spend some time with Brooke family members, welcome a guest arriving for a summer ball, or find out what upset the Duke of Bridgewater.

Outside, see the Gardener at work, tending the vegetable plots.  And there are a few smaller surprise to discover as well.

Come and see the 'echoes of the past' for yourself.  We're open from 10am - 4pm (closing at 5pm from Mothering Sunday). No need to book, pay on arrival at the museum. 

Drop-in family friendly craft activities inspired by our Phantoms at the Priory. Work with an artist to craft your own ghostly character from recycled materials and collage. 

There'll also be a collaborative Norton Priory artwork with paranormal squeegee painting! 

Don't forget to walk and talk amongst the phantoms with our See-through History Trail - perfect for families! 

Included in general admission prices. 

Join us on Saturday 7th and Sunday 8th February for a special gaming event, as part of the Phantoms at the Priory programme.  This event is included with General Admission tickets.

Explore three worlds of tabletop games, suitable for all ages:

Perhaps you will chose to venture into Norton Priory's past and and help Lady Katherine Brooke defend the house against royalist soldiers from Halton Castle.  You might even see her phantom during your visit...

Or, will a a spooky adventure in a haunted house catch your interest... if you are brave enough, of course...

Maybe, you'll be tempted to become a misbehaving bear, on a grand heist to steal Ranger Paul’s stores of honey.  

All sessions will be held in the Medieval Undercroft, with no prior knowledge required to join in.

This event is open to all ages, with games suited for younger and more experienced players. Our fantastic Game Masters will guide people to the best session for you.

Just bring yourself and your imagination!

Tickets coming soon!

Create your own shadow puppets and bring the Phantoms at the Priory to life! In this fun, drop-in workshop, children of all ages can explore the art and history of Norton Priory while designing and crafting their very own puppets. Little ones (under 5) will need a helping hand from an adult. Once the puppets are ready, participants can perform a mini shadow show, letting their phantoms dance and tell stories in a magical display. 

No booking needed. Included in general admission prices. 

Using photographs of Norton Priory, along with drawing materials and your imagination, you will create an image that captures a phantom. You'll begin by drawing your own phantom, then place it on acetate over a photograph to reveal the hidden ghosts of Norton Priory - almost as if you;re creating a photograph of a 'real' phantom. 

This workshop is for all ages and anyone interested in creativity. It's a chance to invent your own baclstory for a phantom exploring Norton Priory, or to take inspiration from the Phantom Sculptures. 

No booking needed. Included in general admission prices. 

The Liverpool String Quartet returns with friends, to perform a very special evening of music, inspired by 'The Phantoms at the Priory' installation.

The 'Transfigured Night' programme is as follows:
P. I Tchaikovsky - Souvenir de Florence, Op. 70
Interval
Andrew Lloyd Webber - Music of the Night (from 'The Phantom of the Opera')
A. Schoenberg – Verklärte Nacht (Transfigured Night), Op. 4

The players (Liverpool String Quartet & Friends) are:
Roisin Walters – violin
Kate Marsden – violin
Dani Sanxis – viola
Sarah Hill – viola
Nick Byrne – cello
Mark Lindley – cello

Programme Notes
Tchaikovsky’s 'Souvenir de Florence', composed in 1890, is one of his most expansive and expressive chamber works. Written for string sextet, it combines symphonic breadth with moments of intimacy and lyricism, reflecting the warmth and vitality of the composer’s Italian experiences. 'Music of the Night' is the emotional centre of The Phantom of the Opera. In this arrangement for strings, the music takes on a more intimate and atmospheric character, emphasising its nocturnal quality and making a natural connection with the 'Phantoms at the Priory' installation. Schoenberg’s 'Verklärte Nacht', composed in 1899, is a landmark of late-Romantic chamber music. Inspired by a poem by Richard Dehmel, the work unfolds as a continuous narrative, moving from darkness to transformation through rich harmony and intense emotional expression. Though controversial at its premiere, it is now regarded as one of the great chamber works of its time.

About the Ensemble
Liverpool String Quartet & Friends brings together the Quartet’s core members with guest musicians for larger-scale chamber repertoire. The ensemble is known for its expressive playing and imaginative, context-led programming, and performs regularly in concert series, festivals, and special events across the UK and Europe. The Liverpool String Quartet is Ensemble in Residence at Norton Priory.